NEW YORK – Most men and women would like to change at least one feature on their significant other’s face, yet men are most likely to take suggestions involving facial plastic surgery to be an insult and women are more likely than men to take them as gestures of love, according to a national survey released today by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).

“This survey shows that love is not blind and, in fact, has an eye for improvement,” said Dr. Keith LaFerriere, AAFPRS president, which sponsored the survey of 1,000 American adults, including 738 who are dating or married.

This is one situation when men are actually more willing than women to express their feelings. Men are more likely than women to consider suggesting plastic surgery for their mate (16 percent men versus 11 percent women), the AAFPRS survey showed.

But if a significant other turned around and suggested plastic surgery for them – and offered to pay for it – some 58 percent of men and 52 percent of women said they would feel insulted.

Still, when a sweetheart offers to pay, women are twice as likely as men to take the comment as a gesture of love and go ahead with the surgery (13 percent of women versus 7 percent of men). In fact, the AAFPRS survey showed women are more than twice as likely to take it as a green light to undergo both the suggested procedure and other procedures they had always dreamed of (13 percent of women versus 6 percent of men).

The random telephone survey of 1,000 men and women age 18 and older was conducted Dec. 2-5, 2003, by Kelton Research of Los Angeles, CA. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percent.

The AAFPRS is the world’s largest association of facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons with more than 2,600 members – whose cosmetic reconstructive surgery focuses on the face, head and neck. Academy fellows are board-certified and subscribe to a code of ethics. In addition, the AAFPRS provides consumers with free information and brochures and a list of qualified facial plastic surgeons in their area by calling 1-800-332-FACE or by visiting the AAFPRS Web Site, www.FACEMD.org.